National Guard...for what?

Why is the National Guard in Washington, DC? In this article, I will not be answering the question posed by the title, because there is no reason for the National Guard to be in DC. There are cities with higher crime rates than DC that should be focused on instead. If President Trump actually wanted to help the city, he would try to lessen the poverty divide between the west and east of the Anacostia River. 

Some of you may be thinking, “What even is the National Guard?” This is a fair question. The National Guard is part of the U.S. military and typically answers to state governors, but because DC is not a state, it reports to the President. Their job is to help during state-level emergencies, such as natural disasters or public health crises. DC has around 2,400 members in its National Guard. The National Guard differs from other components of the U.S. military because it can serve as a domestic law enforcement force.

As mentioned, the DC National Guard has around 2,400 members. This would be enough people to station around the city, but President Trump insisted that more were needed. At least eight states sent members of their National Guard forces to “keep DC safe.” These states are West Virginia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama. At least 5 out of these 7 states have cities with higher crime rates than DC. These cities are Memphis, Tennessee; Shreveport, Louisiana; Cleveland, Ohio; Hattiesburg, Mississippi; and Charleston, West Virginia. In the year 2024, DC’s violent crime rate, which includes murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault, per 100,000 residents, was 913.6. All of the aforementioned cities had violent crime rates higher than DC in that year, with Memphis having the highest at 2,500 violent crimes per 100,000, to Shreveport having the lowest with 1,200 violent crimes per 100,000. Why would the National Guard come from states with cities that have higher crime rates than DC?

I f President Trump wanted to help the city, he would take action to lessen the poverty divide between East and West of the Anacostia River. DC is split up into 8 Wards. The Wards that are considered West of the Anacostia are Wards 1 through 6. The ones east of the Anacostia River are Wards 7 and 8. From 2018 to 2022, the average household income in Wards 1-6 is $171,058, with the highest in Ward 3, at $223,149. All average incomes for Wards 1-6 are in the six-digit numbers. In Wards 7 and 8, the average household income is $83,405, with Ward 8 having the lowest at $77,639. Although this household income is nothing to scoff at, you have to remember that DC is one of the most expensive cities in the nation. You need to be making around $78,980 to afford the necessities such as food, water, and shelter. Also, this average household income does not account for the people experiencing homelessness in these cities, which is around 73 people per 10,000. By comparison, New York has about 52 homeless people per 10,000 people. From these numbers, you can see a clear divide between the two parts of the city. President Trump could help bridge this divide by creating affordable housing, improving public schools in Wards 7 and 8, and investing in further development in neighborhoods east of the Anacostia.